Nehemiah 12 - It’s time to worship! two large choirs, complete with priests, Levites, vocalists, and instrumentalists. Nehemiah was basically forming It had been an uphill battle, to say the least! two big marching bands who would lead the people in Our story of Nehemiah began in a foreign land hundreds two simultaneous parades that would go opposite ways of miles from Jerusalem. When he felt the call to rebuild on the wall until they met each other in the temple area. the wall, it must have looked foolish at best, and Two groups of people, led by Nehemiah and Ezra – impossible at worst. Yet, obstacle after obstacle had been parading around the city on top of the freshly completed overcome. With the king’s permission, supplies provided wall. for free, and a military escort at his side, Nehemiah They were the ones who had built this wall. They had arrived at the ravaged city with his assignment intact: completed their assigned task, in most cases, right near rebuild the wall. their own dwelling places … adjacent to their homes. But the challenges didn’t stop there. Constant attacks Families had worked together under extreme from the outside had been defeated. Secret attempts to circumstances, at times risking their very lives. They discredit Nehemiah from within his own community had would not forget this challenging experience that had been overcome. Discouragement and exhaustion had grown their faith and united their community. They could been pressed through. Brick by brick, day by day, carrying point to a specific section of the wall and say, ‘I carried tools in one hand and a sword in the other, they had that stone and put it in place!’ For the rest of their lives completed this monumental task. The wall was finished. they would look at that wall and know that they had been There was one thing left to do … worship! part of something amazing. As we draw near to the conclusion of this powerful book The wall itself was very, very wide. We think of walls of Nehemiah, we see a glorious picture. The people are being a pile of bricks maybe 12 inches wide. This wall marching and singing on the very wall they had sacrificed could have been between twelve and twenty feet wide – so much to build. It is quite an image. Nehemiah created not uncommon dimensions in those days. Whatever the

1 exact width, it was wide enough for the leaders, singers, So, the purpose of this act of worship was to celebrate and the people to walk along comfortably. what God had done, thank him for such astonishing generosity, and dedicate the people and their work to his Can you imagine singing praises to God on the very wall glory. We read in verse 27: ‘The Levites were brought to that everyone had said would never be completed? Can Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs you feel the people’s hearts beating fast as they passed of thanksgiving.’ Grateful celebration, thanksgiving and over their section of the wall? Can you see their faces dedication are the three main themes, and they take us beaming with pure joy as they joined together for a God- to the heart of what worship is really about. led worship party? What a glorious picture it would have been. Men, women and children gathered together for First, the Israelites magnify his name. They celebrate who worship. They paraded on the wall, sang and rejoiced - God is. Celebration in worship does not begin with what and the presence of God moved among them. They we are doing when we pray or sing or speak or ponder in offered sacrifices and, likely, thanksgiving offerings too. adoring silence. It begins with who God is, and what God The joy was contagious. In fact, there was so much has said and done. We glory in those unique acts which enthusiasm that the celebration could be heard a long took place before ever we had the desire to think or say distance away. anything to him. Nehemiah could probably not have been happier. All of Second, the people acknowledge God’s gifts and give the doubters, resisters, and flat-out opponents who lived thanks for them. They marvelled at God’s astonishing and in the outlying areas could hear the joyous service and totally undeserved generosity to them and, with a sense know that God had completed what he said he would do. of adoring wonder, give public expression to their The whole nation gathered itself in front of the temple immense gratitude. Their thanksgiving was specific and and cried, ‘You did it, Lord. You used us, and for this we they were thanking him that day for so much. For are deeply grateful.’ Nehemiah’s response on hearing the news in Persia that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and the gates

2 burned; that Persia’s king had allowed Nehemiah to go to going. However, prayer was answered. The resources Judah; for the material resources given to them; for the were provided, craftsmen were employed and the safe journey; for those who had joined with Nehemiah in rebuilding began. But the rebuilding itself hasn’t been the rebuilding; for protection against their enemies; for without its difficulties. In the first week, some interesting the strength to continue when the going was tough; and Victorian underpinning of columns was discovered which for spiritual confidence that, even when dogged by needed resolving; we found no proper flooring under the discouragement and ridiculed by their enemies, they had ramp by the door and a solution had to be worked continued to trust him. Most of all, they were thanking through; and a lack of metal covers over all of the heating him for their completed building enterprise, which they channels meant that others had to be sourced. now wished to dedicate to his glory. Interestingly, the one aspect of the project which passed very smoothly was the reconstruction of the pews. They Which brings us nicely to the third theme of worship: are simply beautiful. dedication. The Israelites offer themselves in dedication. To dedicate means to ‘put over the work of human hands So, the building work is complete and, like Nehemiah and to God’s ownership - to surrender to him all that he has the Israelites, it’s time to worship - to celebrate what God given to us. has done, to thank him for such astonishing generosity, and dedicate the work to his glory. We glory in what God Next week, the rebuilding of our church will be complete. has done, and we marvel at his generosity towards us. It’s been a long journey with many setbacks over the Like the Israelites we can be specific in our thanks – to years. But it began with a vision, and there would have those who first cast the vision; to those who have been been much prayer, both in discerning God’s will for the persistent in prayer; to those who submitted faculties to re-ordering of the church, and for the necessary funds to the DAC; and those who were part of the approval guarantee the success of the project. There was inevitably process; to those who produced plans, sought tenders conflict – there always is when pews are involved(!) – and and engaged contractors; those who contributed there will have been times when it was hard to keep financially and those who applied for grants; and for the

3 builders and carpenters themselves, who have worked Nehemiah’s rebuilding of the walls, were full. Full of with such care over the last few months, preserving what people celebrating and cheering as Jesus entered the city is precious about the church, as well as creating on a donkey, as cloaks and palms were spread on the something of beauty that will help people to worship for road, and the people sang, ‘Hosanna. Blessed is he who years to come. But many of us have also been involved. comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!’ Mac, in designing the new communion rail, and Pat and A people celebrating the arrival of a king, celebrating the her team of needle-workers in creating the new altar culmination of centuries of history. ‘The Lord will appear’ frontal. How many of us in the weeks to come will look said the prophets. ‘The Lord will come to his temple.’ upon the frontal and say, ‘That was my bit. They are my Foretold centuries earlier by the prophet Zechariah. stitches,’ knowing that you have been part of something amazing. And Easter Day, when we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and the joy of Mary in the garden when she realises that And over our weekend of celebration in June, Bishop her Lord is alive. Stephen will come and will dedicate the work to God. Where, like the Israelites, we put over the work of human So we have much to celebrate, both today and in the hands to God’s ownership, and ask him how he wishes to weeks to come. But, as we do, let’s ensure that it’s to God use both us, and the new space going forward. I doubt that we give the glory. That, like the people of God two that we will have two choirs, complete with priests, and half thousand years before us, we celebrate joyfully vocalists and instrumentalists climbing and walking the the dedication with songs of thanksgiving.’ And that our walls, unless Frances has plans I don’t know about(!), but grateful celebration, thanksgiving and dedication take us there is much planned. to the heart of what worship is really about. Our glorious, astonishingly generous God. It’s timely that the conclusion of the project should come in-between Palm Sunday and Easter Day. Today, Palm Amen. Sunday, when the streets of Jerusalem, 500 years after

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